Retiring Sarnia fire chief Bryan Van Gaver has been recognized for his volunteer work in Sarnia.
Van Gaver recently received a community relations award from three Sarnia-Lambton IODE (formerly Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire) chapters.
IODE officials said he volunteers at the Inn of the Good Shepherd serving meals, has served on the City of Sarnia’s United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) working group, participated in various community charity events like Empty Bowls, volunteers with an elementary school breakfast program, was a minor baseball coach and has held various roles with the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs, among other things.
IODE’s Leila Boushy, who nominated Van Gaver for the award, called his contributions to the community “just outstanding.”
The award — that dates back to the 1970s and originally was handed out by the since-folded Sarnia-Lambton municipal IODE chapter — also comes with a $200 donation to the Inn of the Good Shepherd, said IODE Errol Egremont chapter member Linda Gryner.
It hasn’t been awarded since before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the remaining local chapters decided to revive it this year, she said.
“A mandate of IODE is social and community service,” she said.
“So, we feel that it’s important to recognize first responders and we just want to continue that.”
The idea is to give the award alternately to firefighters, police, and paramedics in Sarnia-Lambton, Boushy said.
“It’s very dear to my heart because I think they should be recognized,” she said, adding many volunteer in the community quietly.
“We’re here to support them so they will feel the support of the community,” she said.
The award was presented at an event earlier this month also recognizing IODE’s founding in 1900 by Margaret Polson Murray.
Other local chapters include IODE Hon. Malcolm Cameron in Sarnia, and IODE Margaret Stokes in Petrolia.